Ancient Pictish carving found during work on Scottish road building project

A large Pictish stone carving has been uncovered during a road building project in Pertnshire (Scottish Gaelic: Siorrachd Pheairt) in Scotland. The carving features a walking figure with a distinctive hairstyle and holding a spear.  The weapon is typical of spears used in the mid first millennium AD. Contractors stopped works in the area to allow archaeologists from Perth and Kinross Heritage Trust and Culture Perth & Kinross to inspect the stone and the site of its discovery. The stone was identified by Mark Hall, of Perth Museum & Art Gallery, (Culture Perth & Kinross), as displaying a particular kind of Pictish carving not previously known in the Perth and Kinross area.

The Picts were a Celtic society of farmers and hunters. Their existence is confirmed in written records from before the Roman conquest of Britain to the 10th century and the name Pict seems to appear for the first time in a Roman poem from the 3rd century AD. They are thought to have eventually merged with the Gaels and were a vital part in the forging of Scotland. Their beautiful artwork and carving can be found throughout the north and east of Scotland.